Difficulty Ratings - Choosing Your First Fourteener

Now that you know what to eat, drink and carry, it's time to make the big decision: Which peak to try first?

 

You’ll obviously want to start with one of the easier fourteeners, but keep in mind that “easy” is a relative term here. All of Colorado’s highest peaks are physically demanding, but the technical difficulty of their standard routes varies dramatically.

 

Difficulty Ratings

 

The most commonly used rating system for climbers is the Yosemite Decimal System (YDS), which identifies five “classes” that range from walking a trail to scaling a sheer rock face.

 

The following article on outdoorswithdave.com provides a good overview of the YDS:

 

Class 1: Walking, on an established trail.

 

Class 2: Hiking, up a steep incline, possibly using your hands for balance.

 

Class 3: Climbing up a steep hillside; a rope is not normally used.

 

Class 4: Exposed climbing, following a ledge system for example. A rope would be used to belay past places where a fall could be lethal.

 

Class 5: This is where technical rock climbing begins. 

 

I agree with most of these assessments, but can offer a bit more detail based on my experience.

 

Class 2 is often used to describe a route without a defined trail. You might be hiking over talus (large pieces of broken rock) or scree (smaller pieces of broken rock). Here is an example of class 2 terrain on Antero:

To me, class 3 involves a lot more than “climbing up a steep hillside.” The class 3 routes I’ve done (Longs, Wetterhorn, Lindsey) required me to use my hands for a good portion of the route. Foot- and hand-holds were easy to locate, but it wouldn’t have been possible to simply “walk” up. 

Here is an example of class 3 terrain on Longs:

I’ve only had a tiny taste of class 4 so far. In my limited experience, the main difference between class 3 and 4 is the availability of holds. 

The consequences of a fall on class 4 terrain would also generally be greater than on class 3, but the exposure and relative danger of a climb isn’t necessarily correlated to its class rating. However, contrary to the outdoorswithdave article, most people don't use rope on class 4. 

 

So when you’re choosing your first fourteener, look for class 1 or 2 routes and shorter hikes with less elevation gain. In my opinion, Bierstadt, Sherman and Quandary are the easiest.

 

To see how all of the fourteeners stack up, check out this guide on 14ers.com. 

4th of July Double - Mt. Lindsey + Huerfano Peak

This past weekend I had a little lesson in mountaineering safety, which complements my other post today on difficulty ratings.

 

The standard route on Mt. Lindsey is rated 2+ and involves climbing up a scree-filled gully that holds snow until mid-summer. We climbed the peak on Saturday after hiking up Forest Road 580 Friday night (our Civic couldn't make it up) and setting up camp. 

Rather than take the loose gully and flirt with the rotten band of snow in the middle of it, we skirted to the right and found a more solid class 3 route, as shown in this photo:

The safety lesson was learned by observing other climbers. Even though Mt. Lindsey is notoriously loose and steep, the other four people we encountered on the mountain were not wearing helmets.

 

I strongly recommend a climbing helmet for any route with rock-fall potential, and for any climb rated class 3 or above. This is an $80-$100 purchase that could save your life!

 

We also managed to tag Huerfano Peak, a Centennial 13er just 0.6 mile from Lindsey. The extra summit made for a 13-hour day (including the 6-mile backpack out), but was well worth it.

 

On a final note, I have to admit that I failed to heed my own advice on adequate hydration. I ran out of water on the summit of Huerfano. The next four miles and 4,400 feet of elevation loss were brutal, as I fantasized about an ice cold glass of tart lemonade. 

Another lesson learned: Take 10 minutes to filter more water!

-Sarah

Hydration - The Best Cure for Altitude Sickness

Now that you know what to eat, let’s talk about what to drink on a fourteener hike.

This one’s easy: Water. Lots of it. Mix in a little Gatorade powder if you like, just keep the fluids coming.

In my essential gear post, I suggested using a hydration bladder. I’ll reiterate that here – drinking from a hose that’s easily within reach is far easier than fumbling for a water bottle.

How much water is enough? It varies depending on the temperature, the distance you’re hiking and your own physical needs. A good baseline for an “average” fourteener route (6-8 miles, 3,500 feet of vertical) is two liters.

Acute Mountain Sickness

Hydration is important in any physical activity, but it’s critical at elevation. That’s especially true if you’re coming from sea level.

Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) is a very real possibility at 14,000 feet. Many people actually get it at much lower elevations.

According to the Institute for Altitude Medicine (IFAM), AMS “feels exactly like a bad hangover.” Nausea, headache and fatigue are the most common symptoms. This page on IFAM’s website offers more information on the causes, prevention and treatment of AMS.

Adequate hydration can be an effective way to prevent AMS. Sleeping at 6,000 feet or higher the night before a climb can also help. However, once the symptoms set in, the only real cure is to descend to lower elevation as quickly as possible.

Mount Ouray - Sawatch Centennial

Last week, I posted about the solitude I enjoyed on Chiefs Head in RMNP. On Saturday, I climbed another less-traveled peak.

At 13,971 feet, Ouray is almost a fourteener. But with Colorado summits, “almost” doesn’t mean much. As a result, Ouray is much less popular than the higher peaks in the area (being in the Sawatch Range, Ouray has lots of 14,000-foot neighbors to compete with).

Still, Ouray is a notable summit and a worthwhile climb. It’s a Centennial – one of the top 100 peaks in Colorado. You can read more about the peak on its profile page on Summitpost.org.

The hike was supposed to be short and easy (we took the 6.5-mile West Ridge route) but ended up being more challenging than expected. It was quite steep, with no trail to speak of, and the final 1,000-foot ridge was a sporty scramble on rocks that were slick from recent rain.

Add to the mix some very unstable weather (see photo below), and Ouray turned out to be a pretty tough day! It was a good reminder that one should never underestimate the mountains.

Fourteener Fuel - What to Eat on Summit Day

Hiking a fourteener burns a lot of calories.

The actual number of calories you burn will vary depending on which peak you’re climbing, how much you weigh and a lot of other factors. But it’s safe to say you’ll need to eat a lot more than you would on a flat trail at sea level.

According to this article on Backcountry.com, “hikers, climbers and others traveling with packs over difficult terrain will need at least 500-1,000 more calories than they normally would.”

If you like to eat, you’re in luck.

Nutrition is important, and getting the right balance of carbs, fats and protein will certainly lead to better performance on the mountain. But in my experience, the key is to eat foods you like and that will still be appealing when altitude zaps your appetite.

Here’s a quick list of my favorites:

• M&Ms
• Nuts
• Peanut-butter & jelly sandwiches
• Fig Newtons
• Crackers
• Larabars (All-natural energy bars that actually taste good, made right here in Colorado. Read more about the company’s founder on their website.)

The above items pack a lot of calories with minimal weight. They also hold up well in a pack (except for the PB&J, which requires a little special handling).

You’ll want to customize the list according to your own tastes. Anything goes - I've seen people eating avocados and cold Big Macs on summits. Just avoid anything that might melt and bring more than you think you’ll eat.

Also take special note of Principle #3 in the Backcountry.com article, which explains why you need to snack often. Aim for a couple hundred calories every two hours or so.

As for what to eat after the climb, may I suggest: